If you have been to Edinburgh, you know that it’s a gorgeous city. From the regal stately homes of the New Town, to the old winding medieval alleyways of the Old Town, to the sea at Portobello or the grassy slopes atop Calton Hill, it’s a magical place that offers so many scenic views and interesting pockets of history – it’s hard to choose a favorite part of the city. I called this post ‘The Prettiest Walk in Edinburgh’ because it’s about one of my personal favorite walks I’ve taken in a long time, but there’s really no end to ‘pretty walks’ in a city like this one.

But I offer up this path along the Water of Leith as one of the greenest and most tranquil walks you can take here, also featuring some of the most ‘storybook-like’ parts of the city. So come along if you want a glimpse of that!

We started in Roseburn (which is the West End part of the city), grabbing a coffee at Disposition Coffee before we set off (we don’t live in this area and I’d never been there before, but would highly recommend it and especially if, like me, you love plants!).

Our tour guide Alan (a friend of mine from The Georgian House, who you might remember from my post about The Royal Mile), led us down to the Water of Leith Walkway. Leith, where I currently live, is on the coast. It used to be its own town, but now it’s a part of Edinburgh. The Water of Leith Walkway is a 13 mile route along the river, culminating as the river empties out into the Firth of Forth. We didn’t do the whole walk! There are lots of places to join the path so you can walk along it for a few hours or a few minutes. That’s one of the things I like most about it.

From Roseburn, we walked towards Dean Village. The walkway was tranquil and full of local families and dogs of all shapes and sizes. The overwhelming color as you stroll along the river is green.

As we passed near the Modern Art Gallery, we stopped to have a look at one of Antony Gormley’s statues of a figure wading into the water.

I think these statues (there are more as you carry on down the river) are a little eerie for some reason, but I like them. Perhaps it’s because, for a moment, you might think it’s a real person, but then you realize it’s a statue!

Near the statue was also a plaque that Alan pointed out to us: a memorial for people who have died from HIV/AIDS.

The plaque made me a little sad. I’m sad looking back at it now. But I liked its placement by the river (what a nice idea), which is often a symbol connected to both life and death. It’s also just a really peaceful spot.

Further along the water, we made it to Dean Village which is probably the most ‘fairy tale-like’ part of the city.

Here we could see several old mills, in addition to Well Court, which was built in the 19th century and provided homes for the mill workers (now it’s private residences).

To conclude our walk, we strolled onwards towards Stockbridge, on the way passing by St Bernard’s Well, designed in 1789 and depicting the Greek goddess of health: Hygeia. In the 18th century it was thought that water from the spring inside could cure various ailments. (Though apparently the mineral water tasted, according to one person, like ‘the washings of a foul gun barrel’. Ew!)

We made it at last to Stockbridge, another very picturesque area of the city, and rewarded ourselves with some drinks and cakes after our long walk. In total I think we walked for about 2 and a half hours, but we stopped regularly to take in the sights.

I would say that our walk along the Water of Leith is perhaps not the most dramatic or awe-inspiring of all the possible walks in Edinburgh, but in my opinion it IS one of the prettiest and most tranquil. So if you’re ever in the city and walk to get away from the hustle and bustle (which was much needed for me during the raucous Fringe Festival we have every August!), then this is the perfect spot.

Let me know if you’ve been to the Water of Leith, or if you have a similar place in your city where you like to escape to. (For a sneak peek at what’s ahead: the next post will be about Ancient Egypt and mummies!!)

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Bye for now!